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My doctor tells me that I should choose either the Atkins diet or a
vegetarian diet.  Everything else is something else.  If people just do
part of a program it could be disaster.  The American diet using fats,
proteins, high grain foods without moderation is the diet that causes
the problems.  This is neither vegetarian or low carbohydrates.  I see
all these "studies" that don't address the Atkins diet, just high fat
and protein mixed with high grain diet.  If you want to present a
scientific study, please stick to only the facts and use statistics that
apply to those people using only the foods allowed on the diet plan.  I
tried the new food pyramid that was developed and adopted by the US
standard.  I was told that members of General Mills and the other
processed grain giant, whose name escapes me at this moment, compose a
majority of this board. This appears to be a serious conflict of
interest.  Please correct me if the information given to me is wrong.  I
know when I ate that way, through past efforts to follow the diet, I
gained 10 pounds in a week and 25 pounds in a month.  I know that my
body is carbohydrate sensitive and cannot process carbohydrates from
grains, even rice, beans and corn.  For me to eat a vegetarian diet
would be dangerous because getting protein would present a problem
without grains and legumes.  When I eat them I pay the price in weight
and health.  It is well known that those who eat high carbohydrates to
lose weight, usually gain 20 pounds in a year.    But I feel that the
article presented, in the form that it was presented, did not address
the issue in a scientific manner, but was a point of view.  I believe
that people are different, and that nothing works for everyone.  My
husband can eat anything and his body weight, cholesterol and health
seems to maintain much better than mine, despite the junk food, lack of
exercise, cigarettes, etc. at least for the first 65 years of his life.
I have eaten healthy for my whole life and did serious exercise and
suffer malnutrition, overweight, weak muscles. I don't drink or smoke,
but my health is not great.  Therefore I feel that each person must find
their own way to better health and one way is not the best way for
everyone.